Improvement in hemp-harvesters



P. s.`FlTcH.

Hemp-Harvesters.

No. 134,656.v Patented 1an. 7, 1873.

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, w/J//L/ L? mg /g -UNrTnn A STATES PHrLoNZo s. FITCH, or HANLY, KENTUCKY.

IMPROVEMENT IN HEMP-HARVESTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 134,656, dated January 7, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PnrLoNzo S. FITCH, of Hanly, in the county of J essamine and State of Kentucky, have invented a Baking Attachment for Mowing-Machines, of which the following is a specification:

This invention is especially applicable to machines for mowing hemp. It consists in the combination of jointed levers with a cranked shaft geared with the wheel-axle, and a standard to which said levers are pivoted at one end, whereby, as the machine moves over the ground, the forward joints of the levers shoot out'lengthwise into the hemp, and then moving sidewise press it against the knives, and afterward pass it round in rear 0f the wheels of the machine. It also consists in the combination, with the ends of the aforesaid levers, of hinged aps or wing pieces, which fold up i against the levers as the latter pass the cranks ofthe cranked shaft (before alluded to) and drop down as the levers shoot out into the hemp, and give a better bearing to the levers for pushing aside the hemp. Further, it consists in the combination of a cam on the cranked shaft, before mentioned, and an oscillatinglever arranged to move over the inner end of the cutter-bar, whereby the hemp, after it is cut, is supported and held till pressed into a compact bunch by the levers, and is then al lowed to drop in rear of the machine.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a top view or plan of a machine having my invention applied; and Fig. 2 is a side view of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both figures.

A is the frame or body of the machine, which is supported on wheels B B inthe usual manner. rllhe cutteribar is arranged at the rear of the machine on its right side. C is the post or standard, to which the raking-levers D D are pivoted at the end. It is made fast on the frame A of the machine, and the levers are free to turn about it. E is the cranked shaft, by which the levers D D are operated. It is supportedin the frame A at one side of the standard C, and it is furnished at the lower end with a bevel-wheel, F, which gears with a like wheel, L, on the adjacent traction-wheel B, whereby the shaft is driven. The cranks of the shaft E are of considerable length, and to each is medially pivoted the forward joint D of one of the raking-levers D D. K K are flaps or wing pieces that are pivoted to the end portions of the raking-levers D D., and drop down obliquely to the levers, as shown in Fig. 1. The upper end of the cranked shaft E is furnished with an elliptical cam, Gr, which operates an oscillating lever, H, that projects across the end of the cradle or frame I attached to the cutter-bar of the machine. A spring, J, holds the inner end of the lever H against its operating-cam. The cradle I I make of suitable shape to conform to the curved motion of the levers D D, as they rake the cut hemp round to the rear of the machine.

The machine is drawn over the ground in the usual manner. As it moves forward, and the cranked shaft E is thereby rotated, the outer partD, of the levers D D', one after another, shoot out longitudinally into the hemp to be cut, push it against the cutter-knives, and afterward press it out from the inner end of the cradle or frame I, and allow it to fall in rea-r of the machine. The levers then return to their first position, and their operation' is repeated. The cam Gr operates the oscillating lever H, so that it crosses the end of the cradle I, and supports the hemp while being c ut, and also while the cut hemp is being pressed into a compact sheaf or bundle, and so that afterward the lever moves beyond the end of the cradle, and permits therakin g-levers D D to throw the cut hemp out'in rear ofthe machine. The aps or wing pieces pivoted to the ends of the raking-levers fold up against the latter when they pass the cranks and then drop down again, thus giving a broad hold or bearing on the grain without inconveniently necessitating the enlargement of the cranks to permit said levers to pass between them.

By this raking device of mine the hemp, as soon as cut, is forced into the cradle, and is thereby prevented from dropping down and being cut again, and is raked to the rear of the machine out of the way of the next round. The oscillating lever H, or stop-bar, as it might. aptly be termed, prevents the hemp,

.when out, from dropping on the gearing of the machine.

In the drawing` I shoW but two raking-levers; but, of course, any numbermight be used.

Claims.

2. The combination, with the end portions of the raking-levers D D', of pivoted ila-ps or Wing pieces K K, essentially as and for the purpose specified.

3. The combination of the oscillating lever H and cam G on the cranked shaft E, substantially as and for the purpose herein described.

PHILONZO S. FITCH.

Witnesses:

J. G. BRUCE, A. J. WATTS. 

